René Porter was born and raised in Dayton, Ohio. Her parents were an early influence on her creative life. René's father was an avid photographer and also enjoyed drawing. He would sketch cartoon characters and clowns for his children and give them as rewards for good behavior. Her mother was an accomplished seamstress and an early supporter of René's dream of becoming an artist. She encouraged René to set her sights on formal art training and her mother put aside money from her modest seamstress earnings to help René with tuition.
René was accepted, and awarded a first term scholarship into the Columbus College of Art and Design in Columbus, Ohio where she formally trained from 1979 to 1983. Her training gave René a strong foundation in fine art, graphic design and illustration. After finishing college, René made her living as a graphic designer and illustrator, while she pursued her passion for figurative fine art painting and drawing.

In 1994 René moved west to Los Angeles California, and with her move came renewed inspiration from the beauty of California's natural environment. René was inspired to infuse her work with the essence and warmth of her surroundings. As a result, a portion of René's work captures the coastal and tropical nuances of the pacific.

The core of René's work is her romantic and sensual approach to her female subject matter. Her overall artistic expression blends both figurative and environmental elements. René's intent is to portray the female figure in her most natural state in the most natural setting. Inspired by the subject and the mood of the setting, she will alternate between painting with oils and using charcoal as her medium. Although she enjoys working in both mediums René has an affinity for working in charcoal, "Charcoal is an incredibly dynamic medium," says René "You can create so much dimension and detail with just one color."

René currently lives in Los Angeles, California. Her work can be found in corporate and private collections throughout the country. Please visit René's website at www.reneporter.com and www.facebook.com/reneporterfineart for more information.

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